[Harvesting vascular segments].

The authors report the importance of the use of vascular homografts in treatment of prosthetic infections. To have good results is very important to obtain vascular segments prelevated and preserved in the best conditions. The importance of the explant is fundamental.

Personal experience of the treatment of ruptured aortic aneurysms. The prognostic evaluation of some parameters.

Background: The rupture of an aortic aneurysm is the most frequent and most severe complication, with an incidence of approximately 20-40/100,000 persons each year. The aim of this study was to identify the preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative factors that may influence the mortality rate.

Methods: Between January 1996 and December 1999 145 patients underwent emergency abdominal aortic repair surgery.

Study of the decay D0 --> K+pi-.

Using a large sample of photoproduced charm mesons from the FOCUS experiment at Fermilab (FNAL-E831), we observe the decay D0-->K+pi- with a signal yield of 149+/-31 events compared to a similarly cut sample consisting of 36 760+/-195 D0-->K-pi+ events. We use the observed ratio of D0-->K+pi- to D0-->K-pi+ (0.404+/-0.

Mid-term results of endovascular repair for abdominal aortic aneurysm, with loco-regional anesthesia, in high-risk patients.

Background: Aim of this study was to evaluate the results of endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) in patients considered not suitable for traditional open surgical repair because of the high anesthesiological risk.

Methods: We have retrospectively evaluated the result of the endovascular treatment of 11 patients with AAA of more than 6 cm diameter and high surgical risk due to cardiac hypokinesia and/or respiratory insufficiency. Patients were selected by a team composed of vascular surgeons and vascular radiologists who decided to implant the graft according to anatomical features of the AAA and of the iliac arteries.

Mitral valve repair and transesophageal echocardiographic findings in a high-risk subgroup of patients with active, acute infective endocarditis.

Background And Aim Of The Study: Limited data are available regarding the efficacy of mitral valve repair in patients affected by active, acute infective endocarditis. In addition, the predictivity of transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) for guiding the surgical decision-making process in these patients has not yet been reported. The study aim was to evaluate the long-term results of mitral valve repair and role of TEE in active, acute infective endocarditis.

[Left atrial myxoma. Clinical and surgical features in 26 surgically treated cases].

Background: Left atrial myxomas are the most common benign intracardiac tumors. The aim of this study was to compare our experience with the data reported in the literature.

Methods: Between May 1985 and August 1999, 26 patients (8 males, 18 females) with left atrial myxomas underwent surgical resection of these tumors at the Department of Cardiac Surgery, Ospedali Riuniti of Bergamo (Italy).

Carotid stenosis and brain tumor. Two cases successfully treated.

The authors report two cases of internal carotid artery stenosis associated with brain tumors. After the presentation of the rarity of this combination little described in the literature, they point out their therapeutic behaviour explaining their technical decisions.

[Traumatic rupture of the aortic isthmus. Our experience with 23 cases].

Background: Traumatic rupture of the aortic isthmus is a highly lethal lesion. Controversy currently exists regarding the best management of the lower body circulation system during repair of an acute aortic transsection. The aim of this study was to evaluate our results using different methods of distal aorta perfusion in order to prevent ischemia of the spinal cord.

Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase activity in regenerating liver of hypothyroid rats.

The role of PARP, a nuclear enzyme involved in DNA synthesis, repair and cell transformation, was studies during liver regeneration in hypothyroid animals. Hypothyroidism was induced by in vivo administration of propylthiouracil. In regenerating euthyroid animals PARP activity is stimulated showing an early and significant increase at 1.

Radiographic and ultrasonographic features of retained surgical sponge in eight dogs.

The radiographic and ultrasonographic signs in eight dogs with a surgical or pathologic diagnosis of retained surgical sponge were reviewed. The most frequent previous surgery was ovariohysterectomy, either as an elective procedure or to treat pyometra. The median elapsed time between surgery and diagnosis of retained surgical sponge was 9.

Vagal paraganglioma. Report of a case surgically treated and review of the literature.

The authors report the observation of one case of vagal paraganglioma occurred in a young woman. The tumor manifested itself as a left sub-mandibular tumescence; the very first diagnostic approach was achieved through echography, which showed a mass behind the internal carotid artery and compressing the internal jugular vein. The following examinations, represented by neck CT, NMR, angiography and fine needle aspiration initially directed towards the suspicion of chemodectoma.

Prospects of prostanoid therapy. Preliminary results.

Background: To evaluate the efficacy of treatment with prostaglandins (Iloprost and Alprostadil) in patients with peripheral arterial disease in whom a surgical act or a redo operation is not proposable and to set the role of these drugs in the therapy of arterial diseases.

Methods: We analyzed the results of 96 treatments in patients with peripheral arterial diseases of different etiology, treated in the Day Hospital in the Division of Vascular Surgery from the 1/1/1993 to the 30/6/1998. The efficacy of the treatment has been evaluated on the basis of the clinical picture (healing or reduction of ulcers, reduction of rest-pain, improvement of the ability to walk).

Microvascular changes during laboratory stimuli and structural haemodynamic indices: the role of pulse pressure.

Office and ambulatory pulse pressure have been recognized as independent predictors of cardiovascular mortality and atherosclerosis in hypertensives as well as in normotensives. On the other hand, the vascular reactivity, in subjects with high pulsatile component of blood pressure, has not been studied yet. The purpose of our study was to identify the regional muscular hemodynamics and the cutaneous microvascular changes during laboratory stimuli in young adult very mild hypertensives with high pulse pressure.

An EEG approach to the neurodevelopmental hypothesis of schizophrenia studying schizophrenics, normal controls and adolescents.

Based on an integrative brain model which focuses on memory-driven and EEG state-dependent information processing for the organisation of behaviour, we used the developmental changes of the awake EEG to further investigate the hypothesis that neurodevelopmental abnormalities (deviations in organisation and reorganisation of cortico-cortical connectivity during development) are involved in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia. First-episode, neuroleptic-naive schizophrenics and their matched controls and three age groups of normal adolescents were studied (total: 70 subjects). 19-channel EEG delta-theta, alpha and beta spectral band centroid frequencies during resting (baseline) and after verbal stimuli were used as measure of the level of attained complexity and momentary excitability of the neuronal network (working memory).

Necrotizing encephalitis in a Yorkshire Terrier: clinical, imaging, and pathologic findings.

A 5-year-old, male Yorkshire Terrier had chronic and progressive neurologic signs compatible with lesions in the right brain stem and right forebrain. In magnetic resonance images of the brain there were multifocal lesions at different stages of evolution, consistent with an inflammatory disease. The lesions were located in the white matter of the cerebrum, in the diencephalon and mesencephalon.

Low resolution brain electromagnetic tomography (LORETA) functional imaging in acute, neuroleptic-naive, first-episode, productive schizophrenia.

Functional imaging of brain electrical activity was performed in nine acute, neuroleptic-naive, first-episode, productive patients with schizophrenia and 36 control subjects. Low-resolution electromagnetic tomography (LORETA, three-dimensional images of cortical current density) was computed from 19-channel electroencephalographic (EEG) activity obtained under resting conditions, separately for the different EEG frequencies. Three patterns of activity were evident in the patients: (1) an anterior, near-bilateral excess of delta frequency activity; (2) an anterior-inferior deficit of theta frequency activity coupled with an anterior-inferior left-sided deficit of alpha-1 and alpha-2 frequency activity; and (3) a posterior-superior right-sided excess of beta-1, beta-2 and beta-3 frequency activity.

A deviant EEG brain microstate in acute, neuroleptic-naive schizophrenics at rest.

Momentary brain electric field configurations are manifestations of momentary global functional states of the brain. Field configurations tend to persist over some time in the sub-second range ("microstates") and concentrate within few classes of configurations. Accordingly, brain field data can be reduced efficiently into sequences of re-occurring classes of brain microstates, not overlapping in time.

Neuroleptic malignant syndrome during low dosed neuroleptic medication in first-episode psychosis: a case report.

Neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS) is a rare but potentially fatal side-effect of antipsychotic drug therapy, especially of dopamine receptor antagonists. As a dose relationship has been postulated, low dose neuroleptization would be expected to help to avoid this side-effect. In contrast, we report on a 21-year-old female following low dose fluphenazine treatment with 2.

Surgical and endovascular treatment of stenosis of the innominate artery.

Background: Atherosclerotic lesions of the brachiocepfialic trunk are relatively rare compared with other types of vascular diseases. Median sternotomy with direct endothoracic repair is recommended because of good early and long-term results. Nevertheless, this procedure is not without risks such as hemorrhaging, embolism, aortic dissection, infection or death.

DNA topoisomerase I activity in regenerating liver of hypothyroid rats.

DNA topoisomerase I activity is known to be inhibited by poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation. Both poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase and DNA topoisomerase I participate to major biological events, such as DNA transcription, repair and synthesis. Previously, a 2-fold increase in PARP activity has been shown in hypothyroid animals.

Carotid endoarterectomy in the presence of contralateral carotid occlusion.

Background: The purpose of this study was to define a correct anesthesiological and surgical approach in patient who present a significant carotid stenosis with contralateral carotid occlusion.

Methods: Between 1996 and 1998 in our Department of Vascular Surgery of the Hospital S. Giovanni Battista has been executed 337 Carotid Endoarterectomies (CEA).

Distinct and combined vascular effects of ACE blockade and HMG-CoA reductase inhibition in hypertensive subjects.

Hypercholesterolemia and hypertension are frequently associated with elevated sympathetic activity. Both are independent cardiovascular risk factors and both affect endothelium-mediated vasodilation. To identify the effects of cholesterol-lowering and antihypertensive treatments on vascular reactivity and vasodilative capacity, we studied 30 hypercholesterolemic hypertensive subjects.

Successful challenge with clozapine in a history of eosinophilia.

Eosinophilia has been encountered from 0.2 to 61.7% in clozapine-treated patients, mostly with a transient course and spontaneous remission.

[Splenic artery aneurysm. Two successfully operated cases].

The splenic artery aneurysms usually have an asymptomatic course; their rupture is associated with high mortality. The clinical history and the treatment of two patients with splenic artery aneurysm are reported. Of the two cases, one was asymptomatic, diagnosed with upper abdomen ultrasound, the other one was treated as an emergency because presented with shock.